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This explanatory sequential mixed-methods study examined differentiated patterns of university physical education experience across six domains. A 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 factorial MANOVA ( N = 944) identified small but significant associations involving gender and year level, as well as context-dependent Gender × Major and Gender × Major × Region interactions. Gender differences were concentrated in competence-related domains among science majors, weaker among humanities majors, and reversed for classroom climate. Follow-up interviews with students ( n = 40) and teachers ( n = 6) generated interpretive themes related to visibility risk, tiered pathways, progress-referenced feedback, large classes, assessment, and course-selection arrangements. Joint displays integrated quantitative patterns and qualitative interpretations. The findings are interpreted as associative, suggesting that group differences may be linked to how PE is experienced under classroom and institutional conditions rather than to fixed student traits.
Li et al. (Wed,) studied this question.